Monthly Message from our Rector - June 2026
Praying and Remembering
As I began to think about what to write in this letter, I started by re-reading last month’s Common Ground letter. And in doing so, I realised that something that I really wanted to share was missing from last month’s letter.
In May's letter to you all, I focused on a central part of the global prayer initiative, 'Thy Kingdom Come':
the call to pray for five people to experience ‘the life transforming love of Jesus’, as Archbishop Sentamu put it. He encouraged us to pray for five people we know and care about, such as family or friends, by asking God to place people on our heart.
The Archbishop reminded us that we can pray for people at any time or place not just in church. However, if we are going to remember to pray for people consistently it is helpful to have some reminders to pray, like praying at a certain time or during an activity (e.g. praying at noon or every time we make a cup of tea or go for a walk).
Yet for all of Archbishop Sentamu's emphasis on reminders, I somehow forgot to include the guidance on what to pray for others, which even comes with a helpful acronym to help you remember - BLESS!
B - Body: Pray for their health, protection, and physical energy.
L - Labour: Pray for their employment, work, or retirement.
E - Emotional: Pray for their inner peace, joy, wisdom, and patience.
S - Social: Pray for their relationships (spouse, children, friends) and reconciliation.
S - Spiritual: Pray for their salvation, faith, and obedience to God.
Many, if not all, of these prayer themes crop up in our intercessions in church week by week, as we pray specifically for the needs that people share with us.
However, this BLESS model of prayer can be helpful as we pray for people, to think about God's power bringing healing and wholeness into the different aspects of their lives.
May God truly bless those you love and care for, through the prayers you offer for them.
Revd Peter Francis